Free To Eat
I saw a memory to a story I wrote while postpartum with my son. It was very melodramatic about the state of our food. I looked back with compassion on my little stressed out self.
Don’t get me wrong, the state of our food industry is wack. Between lab meat, food dyes, plant “milks,” seed oils, and more, there’s a lot of foods that should probably comes with a “not for human consumption” warning on them. It’s infuriating that this fake food is marketed to children, lower income, and busy moms. When a whole, unprocessed food cost more than an engineered food, it’s definitely a sign that our food industry and eating habits are upside down.
While all of this is true, I personally am tired of being OVERLLY stressed out about things I have little to no control over.
Yes, I think we should do what we can to make systemic changes to our food. Let’s petition, protest (peacefully), vote, and work towards better food for all. I want whole foods to be the cheapest most accessible option for people. If there’s any way I can help make those changes, you bet I’ll be doing that for others and myself.
But systemic food changes will take time. And should we choose to stay in a constant state of stress over our food system until it changes? Should we expect the government to rescue us when it comes to food policy? I can’t answer for y’all, but those are things I’m choosing to not do.
So what can we do? Well, while I don’t expect nor want our governing officials to be our food saviors, we are blessed to live in a free country where we have so much freedom. This includes the freedom to choose what we eat. Let’s break down our options here:
Free to buy the best option we can afford. I may shock some people here but I don’t think raw milk is for everyone. If it’s something someone is very nervous about or simply can’t afford, I think it’s just fine to buy milk from the grocery store. A hot take in the crunchy community, but I’m not anti pasteurized milk for some. I think it’s better than plant milks with a bunch of fake stuff in them, and if it’s what you can afford and digest, then I’m glad it’s there for so many. I don’t think we should cause more stress or financial ruin trying to buy food that is far out of our budget. That isn’t healthy either. We vote with our dollars, so vote for the best option that is in your budget!
Free to grow our own food. Not always the cheapest or most accessible option, but it’s so empowering to grow your own food! Whether you grow a garden or raise some chickens, you know exactly what’s in your food. It makes you appreciate more the food on your plat when you know all the hard work that was put into it! If you’re able to grow a big enough garden you can put up the produce from it to feed you and your family all year long.
Free to know and support our local farmer. When resources don’t allow for the former point, this is a great option! About 99% of farmers deeply care for the land and their animals. They try to do their best by both. Get to know your local herd share farmer, meat farmer, veggie farmer! Chat with them about their practices and how you can support them. Please remember, especially behind a screen, to be respectful to them. They’re people too and they are working very hard. In this day in age, I’ve seen some people be down right awful to farmers because they don’t do exactly what an influencer tells them they should do. Times are tough on farmers and they’re doing the best they can with the resources they have too. They need your support, but they need your kindness too!
Free to cook for ourselves. The processed food in the stores or at restaurants not great? We can cook for ourselves! I know people are busy! Many have full time work and kids in sports and more on their plate. I’m not trying to discount that! Shoot, we generally eat out once a week because I’m at capacity. But a great way to limit junk in our and our kid’s diet is to cook for ourselves. If you’re not used to cooking, look for some easy recipes! If you can read, you can cook. A way to take back control and peace over food is to cook it yourself.
Do some of these points make more work? Yes absolutely. But they also stop making you the victim. You’re not at the mercy of the processed food industry when you start your own garden and make you own tomato sauce. You can be less angry at Tyson if you raise or buy chickens from a local farmer and make your own chicken nuggets fried in beef tallow. You don’t have to have the gut problems or blood sugar spikes that come from the gums and processed ingredients in your oat milk if you switch to raw milk. Abiding within your budget, you can do the best you can to buy whole foods, support local, and cook for yourself. You can bring peace and freedom back to your life by controlling the controllable foods and worry less about the rest.
